WATERLOO -- City Council members reached a compromise on how to divide more than $91,000 in hotel-motel tax Monday.

But Councilman Harold Getty, who cast the lone vote against the spending plan, was stewed about how the decision was reached.

Getty said the breakdown proposed by Councilman Reggie Schmitt's motion was different than the one he received before the meeting.

Council members should hash those matters out in work sessions, said Getty, "not go in the back room with two or three people and come up with what we've got here tonight."

Schmitt countered that he was seeking a consensus on what had been a difficult issue.

"I called three other council members and averaged their suggestions with mine," Schmitt said. "I did not need to call Harold."

Councilman Ron Welper added that Getty, unlike other council members, failed to submit a proposed spending plan for the money as Mayor Tim Hurley had requested.

The measure was adopted 5-1, with Getty voting no and Councilman Quentin Hart being absent for family medical reasons.

Council members control 10 percent of the revenue from the 7 percent surtax on hotel and motel rooms in the city. The bulk of the revenue provides the operating budget for the Waterloo Convention and Visitors Bureau, funds repairs to the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center and is distributed in grants to events and projects that bring overnight visitors to Waterloo -- often dubbed "heads on beds."

The council had to pare down some $172,000 in requests to match the $91,000 in the fund.

The biggest single grant, $30,684, was rolling over into the general fund to reimburse police for overtime at events like My Waterloo Days, the fireworks festival, Irish Fest and other celebrations.

Councilman Bob Greenwood, noting he had heard criticism about such an expense not generating tourism, defended the decision.

"A lot of these events wouldn't take place if we didn't have the proper security in place," he said. "In a roundabout way, it does allow us to have events here to put heads on beds."

Hurley failed to get the $18,000 he sought for a "Waterloo Anew" marketing brochure for the downtown area.

"I'm happy to get the $10,000 if that's what you agree upon," he conceded.

Councilman Steve Schmitt said the council's distribution process may need to be tweaked in the future. But he supported the current proposal.

"The final distribution was equitable and I think everybody's going to be reasonably happy."

Contact Tim Jamison

at (319) 291-1577 or

tim.jamison@wcfcourier.com.